EP0979760A1

EP0979760A1 - Process for fabricating liners, and liner for a vehicle roof with integrated functions

Info

Publication number: EP0979760A1
Application number: EP98904184A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alberto Cremades Schulz; Eleuterio GONZALEZ GÜEMES; José Manuel DOMINGUEZ RUANO; Alberto Ortega Martinez
Original assignee: Grupo Antolin Ingenieria SA
Current assignee: Grupo Antolin Ingenieria SA
Priority date: 1998-02-27
Filing date: 1998-02-27
Publication date: 2000-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 2018-02-27
Also published as: EP0979760B1; AU6215998A; WO1999043517A1; DE69809219D1; US6375778B1

Abstract

The liner comprises a support sheet (4) which can be deformed into a mould in order to define drawn forms or housings (8) which are intended to receive the various functions (5), the support (4) being completed with the remainder layers (9) forming the liner and appropriately conformed so that they can be adapted to the support (4) to close the openings of the housings (8). The process comprises the press-forming support (4), housing the functions (5) into the press-formed cavities (8), press-forming in another press or simultaneously in the same press the remaining layers (9), and finally fixing said assembly with the use of appropriate intermediary adhesives.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new process for manufacturing liners for vehicle roofs, particularly for roofs with certain integrated functions, such as electrical conducts, lamp soffits, electrical connectors, thin flat speakers, head airbags, etc., this process allowing to quickly and efficiently obtain the linings with an optimal level of performance.
The invention also encompasses a lining for vehicle roofs with integrated functions such as those related above.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is well known, vehicle roofs incorporate an inner lining which must offer minimum performance, such as being self-supported, being easily and perfectly adaptable to the diverse shapes of vehicle roofs, being lightweight, having good acoustical absorption and thermal insulation properties and a pleasant external look and feel.
In order to fulfil these requirements, the use of multilayer liners is generally resorted to, in which different materials are arranged in thin layers, so that each layer provides its characteristics to the lining, with these layers glued to each other to create the layered element.
A common configuration used consists of a first layer, in contact with the roof, made of a liner material, to which is adhered a second layer consisting of a fiberglass grid or mesh, these layers being joined to each other by glue. Over the fiberglass grid or mesh is placed a substantially thicker central layer, on top of which is another fiberglass grid or mesh, and then a final outer layer which is the visible layer of the lining, this last layer made of a lightweight material. All of the layers which make up the lining, except for the outer or cosmetic layer, support such lining to provide the suitable stiffness and the aforementioned self-supporting property.
More recently, manufacturers of the automobile industry have required from their suppliers not only the roof lining, but also the set formed by said lining and certain functions, such as sun shades, handles, lamp soffits or electrical wiring, with all of these accessories assembled at a later stage of the roof forming in a press. In this sense also known are vehicle linings which have these accessories pre-assembled, so that when the lining is attached to the vehicle roof the above mentioned accessories are automatically installed. A roof of this type is described in Spanish Patent 9301338 belonging to this applicant.
More evolved systems even include an electrical or electronic component for simply and quickly connecting, for example, the power connection required by lighting systems. In this sense we can cite European Patents 0346154 and 0473263, as well as Spanish Patent 8607841.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The process proposed by the invention, and therefore the lining obtained with it, constitutes a novel technological advance in the field as it integrates all the functions required in the lining manufacturing process, where these functions are such as electrical connectors, electronic plates or devices, air conditioning and heating ducts, electrical wiring, flat speakers, head airbags, etc..
With this purpose and more specifically, the process employs a press with two upper fixed positioning moulds and a single lower mould with three positions, where the process stages are the following:

At a first position (A) of the lower mould, in which it is not opposite the two upper moulds, the function supporting material is placed on top of it, with the aforementioned lower mould having a suitable profile for defining on said support the recesses which will house such functions.
At a second operative stage the lower mold is placed in position (B) beneath the first fixed upper mold, whose profile is complementary to that of the single lower mold, defining the aforementioned recesses when one mold is placed against the other.
At a third operative stage the lower mold returns to position (A) to receive the functions which are housed in its recesses, and on top of this the layers of different materials which complete the lining with the suitable adhesives when required for their final attachment.
After this the lower mold is sent towards position (C) beneath the second upper mold, and as these two molds are joined the aforementioned complementary layers of the lining adapt their shape to the base support on which the different functions were already set, creating housings for these and completing the lining.
Finally, the lower mold returns to position (A), that is, a position where it is not opposite any of the upper molds, when the finished lining is extracted with the functions set within it.

In accordance with the above exposition the lining must be made in a suitable material for forming the recesses or compartments for the different functions, maintaining stable this deformation after pressing, in order for which the support layer will consist of thermoplastic, thermostable or composite materials.
Returning once again to the process, the possibility exists of using two presses, so that the first press deforms the support body to obtain the recesses for the functions and a second press joins this support to its functions and shapes the rest of the lining layers, as well as the outer coating.
A possible variation of this realisation consists of using two presses with two identical lower molds and two different upper molds, one for shaping the required references and housings for the functions and another to give it its final shape of the roof. Firstly a set of layers is formed, one of card or paper, on it a fiberglass layer and finally a polyurethane layer with an adhesive on its lower face, i.e. between the polyurethane and fiberglass layers.
This first set of layers is introduced in a first press where the required references and the housings for the functions are formed. Afterwards the formed layer set is removed from the press, to later distribute in it the desired functions to be integrated. On top of this set is placed another set formed by the remaining layers and the outer coating, both to be later introduced in a second press which will give the final shape to the lined roof.
By using two different presses there is also the possibility of obtaining in one the support and simultaneously in another the remaining layers of the lining, so that the functions are later coupled to the support and the remaining layers which make up the lining are later joined as a cover of the recesses.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As a complement of the description in progress and in order to aid a better comprehension of the characteristics of the invention, according to an example of a preferred realisation of the same, as an integral part of the description, a set of drawings is attached in which for purposes of illustration and in a non-limiting nature the following is shown:
Figures 1 to 8 show successive stages of the manufacturing process for linings object of the present invention using one press with two upper fixed molds and a single moving lower mold which may occupy positions A, B and C.
Figure 9 shows a detailed cross section of a lining for vehicle roofs with integrated functions obtained by the process of the previous figures.
Figures 10 to 17 show the different sequences of an alternative realisation of the process of figures 1 to 8 which results in the same lining of figure 9, but which uses two presses with identical lower fixed molds and different upper molds.
Figures 25 to 34 show the different sequences of an alternative realisation of the process of figures 10 to 17 which results in the lining of figure 9.
Figures 18 to 24 finally show the different sequences of another alternative realisation of the process of figures 1 to 8 which also results in the lining of figure 9 where shaping of the support and the rest of the roof is done separately in different presses, and these are later joined.

PREFFERED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of these figures, specifically of figures 1 to 8, one can see how the process of the invention is based on the use of a press with a single movable lower mold (1) and two upper fixed molds (2) and (3), where lower mold (1) may occupy any of three positions, one completely independent from the upper molds (position A) and another two which are opposite the latter, a position B opposite mold (2) and a position C opposite mold (3).
The process begins at position A, as seen in figures 1 and 2, where on top of upper mold (1) is placed layered body (4), which is initially flat, and which forms the support of the different functions (5), upon which mold (1) travels to position B opposite the first upper mold (2) as shown in figure 3, molds (1) and (2) having tongue (6) and groove (7), so that after closing one mold on the other, recesses (8) are defined in support (4) for functions (5), as seen in figure 4.
After this functions (5) are inserted in recesses (8), for which mold (1) returns to position (A), where the functions (5) can be easily inserted.
At this time, on mold (1) and specifically on support (4) and functions (5) are set the remaining layers (9) which form part of the lining, as shown in figure 6, after which the set is moved to position (C), shown in figure 7, under second upper mold (3) which is suitably configured so that layers (9) are deformed until they match support (4), closing the mouths of the recesses (8) as shown particularly in figure 8, at which position the lining of figure 9 is obtained perfectly finished with its functions integrated in it, with its visible face facing upwards and its hidden face downwards.
Nevertheless, it is possible to use two independent presses, as shown in figures 10 to 17, so that molds (10) and (11) of the first press are configured so that support (4) is suitably deformed, configuring in it the recesses (8) of the previous case, in which case support (4) is extracted from the first press already formed and functions (5) are to be inserted within it, as shown in figure (13), the remaining layers (9) which make up the lining being adapted to this set as well as the outer coating, not yet deformed, in order to introduce the set in a second press in which the lower mold (10'' matches mold (10) of the first press, while mold (12) is configured to suitably deform layers (9) as done by mold (3) in the previous case, with the same lining of figure 9 being obtained as a result.
This alternative realisation can also be carried out as shown in figures 25 to 34, where a first set of layers (17) is formed by a wide layer of card or paper (16), on top of which is a layer of fiberglass (15) and finally a polyurethane layer (14) with an adhesive on its lower face.
This set of layers (17) is inserted in the first press on lower mold (18) on which upper mold (19) acts to form in this first set of layers (17) both the required references and the housings for functions (5). Afterwards set of layers (17) is removed already shaped, to distribute functions (5) within it. Additionally, a second set of layers (20) is formed which incorporates the outer coating and it is placed on the first set of layers (17) as shown in figure (30). Both sets of layers (17) and (20) are introduced superimposed in the second press, where as mold (21) closes on lower mold (22) the roof lining is finally formed as shown in figure 34.
The second set of layers (20) may consist of a polyurethane layer soaked in adhesive on its lower and upper faces, with a fiberglass layer on top of this polyurethane layer. As an option, the second set of layers (20) may consist of a fiberglass layer plus an adhesive layer on top.
The tasks of placing the first set of layers (17) in the first press, distributing functions (5), placing the second set of layers (20) on top of the first one and placing both sets in the second press can be performed manually or automatically.
Also employing two presses, and according to figures 18 to 24, first press (10-11) is identical to that of the earlier case, and deformation of support (4) is also achieved in it, while a lower mold (13) is present in the second press matching the curvature of an upper mold (12) as in the second press of the previous case. In this case the sole purpose of the second press is to deform the rest of layers (9) which shall make up the lining, as shown in figures 20 and 21, so that in this case support (4) is obtained shaped for functions (5) on one hand, and on the other remaining layers (9) also shaped are obtained; after functions (5) are inserted the two sets obtained in the presses are joined as seen in figure 24, so that the same lining shown in figure 9 is obtained.

Claims

Lining manufacturing process, particularly for vehicle roof linings with integrated functions, characterised in that in a first operational stage layered body (4) which makes up the support for the functions is coupled to a moving mold (1), so that at a second operational stage said mold (1) is moved to a position opposite a mold (2) which, when closing on the first mold, forms housings or recesses (8) in support (4), in which functions (5) are introduced immediately afterwards, with the remaining layers (9) which make up the lining placed on said lower moving mold, so that at a later operational stage lower moving mold (1) is placed opposite another upper mold (3), which upon closing on the first one causes the final formation of the remaining layers (9) and their adaptation to each other and to base support (4).
Lining manufacturing process as in claim 1, characterised in that as an option two presses (10-11), (10'-12) are used, so that support (4) is formed in the first press (10-11) and then removed from it to receive functions (5) and the remaining lining components (9) as well as the outer coating, with this set then introduced in the second press (10'-12), where such layers or components (9) are deformed and attached to each other and to support (4).
Lining manufacturing process as in previous claims, characterised in that as an option presses (18-19) and (21-22) are used, initially forming a set of layers (17) which is introduced in the first press (18-19) where it is shaped, to be later removed and couple functions (5) within it, and at a later stage place on top of this set of layers (17) a second set of layers (20) which incorporates the outer coating, both sets of layers (17) and (20) being introduced in the second press (21-22) where the roof lining is finally formed.
Lining manufacturing process as in previous claims, characterised in that the first set of layers (17) consists of a card or paper layer (16) on top of which a fiberglass layer (159 is placed, and on top of this one a polyurethane layer (14) with an adhesive on its bottom face,, while the second set of layers (20) consists of a polyurethane layer with adhesive on both faces and on top of it a fiberglass layer, and as an option the second set of layers (20) can consist of a fiberglass layer with adhesive on its top face.
Lining manufacturing process as in previous claims, characterised in that two molds (10-11), (13-12) are employed in it, with support (4) shaped in the first one and the remaining layers (9) which are part of the lining in the second one, so that in another operational stage, after removing these elements from their molds, functions (5) are coupled to shaped support (4) and the remaining layers which complete lining (9) are attached to this set.
Lining for vehicle roofs with integrated functions, according to any of the procedures of the previous claims, which comprises a number of layers of different materials, of which one is the support for the functions, characterised in that this support layer is of a suitably deformable material, so that it allows formation of recesses or housings (8) for the various functions, maintaining its,new form stable, for which said support (4) is made from thermoplastic materials, thermostable materials or a composite material.
Lining for vehicle roofs with integrated functions as in claim 6, characterised in that the recesses or housings (8) of support (4) which receive functions (5) are closed with the remaining layers (9) which make up the layered lining body.